Unholy Innocence
by Alley Cat Sunflower
Summary: It's been a few months since Dawn of the New World, and for her birthday, Colette is getting a husband. She has a few doubts about whether it's really going to be the "happiest day of her life", though. This follows their ceremony and subsequent wedding night, and Colette's conclusion. Second chapter is M-rated. I do not own Tales of Symphonia or the cover!
1. The Day

It is said that a woman's wedding day is the happiest day of her life. However much she adores Lloyd, Colette isn't so sure about _that_. As she straightens out her dress frantically, loosely fastens a ribbon around her neck bearing a ring (by way of a pendant), and makes sure her lips are properly kissable before her father comes to pick her up, she can't help wondering if it's really worth all the trouble.

First, they'd had to choose a date and place, eventually settling on Colette's nineteenth birthday at the World Tree—giving them only about four or five months to plan everything… plus the necessity of asking Martel's permission. (She said yes, so long as the party consisted only of those they had traveled with in the past and perhaps a couple of their relatives.)

Then, there had been the matter of telling everyone and issuing invitations, and that involved tracking them all down first.

"Really?" asked Raine, making no secret of her concern. "Even though neither of you are of age according to tradition? Congratulations," she added as an afterthought, and Lloyd and Colette gave a pair of uncertain smiles. They knew she meant well, but two years—until they were both twenty—seemed ages away.

"I knew it!" exclaimed Genis, but looked at Lloyd almost sadly. "But you won't stop being my best friend just because you're getting married, right?" Lloyd reassured him that it would be just like old times, and Colette turned away, letting them have their moment. This _was _like losing a friend, in a way, and she was sorry.

"Already?" gasped Sheena, eyes wide. "Wow, that's commitment! I'm happy for you both." Colette had thought, long ago, that Sheena harbored feelings for Lloyd, but she had always kept a respectful distance, and the only expression in her eyes as she looked at them both was overwhelming pride.

"You're joking!" burst out Zelos, staring between them for a moment before shaking his head with a bemused laugh and meeting Lloyd's eyes. "I can't say I'm all that surprised, but still… you're actually going to get laid!" Colette was about to flash a confused frown in his direction, as Lloyd was doing already (with his mouth open as though about to say something), before Sheena interrupted by tackling Zelos and yelling something about euphemisms.

"Ooh, you're getting married?" gasped Marta, half-swooning at the mere mention of a romantic occasion. "Wow, congratulations! I bet you'll be really happy together. Would you name your first daughter after me?" Lloyd and Colette both turned red and stammered something about how they'd think about it, each knowing that wasn't going to happen.

"M-marriage?" choked Emil, and Marta whacked him affectionately on the back: he staggered. "You're only a few years older than _me_!" He ignored, or perhaps didn't hear, Marta's comments about how there was nothing wrong with an early marriage if two people truly loved each other.

"Congratulations," said Presea, startling both Lloyd and Colette with a small smile. "I'm not sure much will change, but I prefer it that way." Lloyd and Colette assured her that it wouldn't, and remarked when she turned to another conversation how very pretty she was when she smiled. A girl a few months shy of fifteen _should_ smile a little more often, anyway.

"I'm not surprised," said Regal, offering a rare smile and shaking Lloyd's hand firmly. "I expect you two will be very happy. Congratulations." Something in the authoritative dignity with which he congratulated them meant so much more to them than if he had said it any other way, like it had been officially recognized by a superior.

Of course, that hadn't been the end. They'd had to figure out the ceremony itself, and that was perhaps the most important part of the wedding, after all. _No gifts please; no, I don't want a train on my dress; who's going to be marrying us, anyway._

Colette jumps at a knock at the door, wraps up her reminiscing in a hurry, and opens it quickly to find Frank waiting for her. There is a long pause while he looks her up and down proudly. "You look beautiful, Colette," he smiles, and there are tears in his eyes.

She realizes that she was never meant to have this happiness, since she was born to die for Martel's sake, and her eyes well up, too.

Colette supposes it's unconventional for the bride to pilot a Rheaird to her own wedding, but Frank doesn't know how, so she does. Though it's cold enough that she shivers in her modest white gown (ruffles riffling in the wind) and gossamer veil, an eternal spring surrounds the World Tree, where the ceremony will take place.

She lands the Rheaird some distance from the Tree, clambering out with Frank's help in a distinctly un-Chosen-like manner and staring in awe at the beauty of the locale. It's even better than she hoped: several fluffy white clouds drift dreamily across the late morning sky, which shimmers light blue. Lighter, through her veil.

"So, you're finally here," greets Yuan tersely, striding forward seemingly out of nowhere; Martel hurries after him. "I was beginning to wonder who Lloyd was going to marry if you didn't turn up."

"Oh, stop it," sighs Martel, standing next to him and looking up at him both affectionately and exasperatedly: he glances away swiftly, and Colette would be willing to bet that if the world wasn't tinted white from her veil, she could see him blushing. She can't suppress a smile at his obvious adoration for the Spirit.

Yuan snaps, "What are you grinning about?", but quickly halts as Martel placidly hands Colette a bouquet of pink roses of varying shades; he sighs resignedly, and the two of them walk ahead of Colette and her father, arm in arm.

That's the cue. It's time for the ceremony to begin.

The orchestra—meaning Seles Wilder, who plays the violin admirably, and Emil, who evidently plays the piano (though where they got a piano Colette will never know)—begins performing "Rest of the Heart", a traditional wedding song in Tethe'alla. Colette's heart is anything but rested. She takes a deep breath, trying to swallow the butterflies in her stomach with very limited success. _What if something goes wrong? _The happiest day of her life could be ruined by just a single misstep, literal or figurative.

She clings to her father's arm as he walks her down the aisle; as Yuan and Martel reach the end, Yuan stands next to the groom with a somewhat annoyed glance (which Colette does not miss), and Martel waits with a smile on her face where the bride is supposed to stand.

Everyone is staring at Colette. She glances around: there's Regal, looking at her gently in an almost fatherly way. There's Presea, smiling for once, and waving as she goes by. There's Raine, holding a handkerchief to her eyes and positively beaming. There's Genis, smiling at her happily, and his eyes aren't too dry either. There's Marta, a hand to her mouth as her eyes shine. There's Sheena, and Colette doesn't realize she's crying too, until she wipes a tear away.

Phaidra sits in the front row, turning around to admire her with grandmotherly pride. Dirk sits on the other side, a wide grin on his face as he watches her walk down the aisle.

Lloyd stands bold and beautiful at the foot of the World Tree, and smiles at her just as broadly as ever. She relaxes suddenly as she sees him, waiting for her in his uncharacteristically noble clothing—in the fashion of Tethe'alla, since Sylvarant still isn't as culturally advanced as to have standards for this sort of thing. He too wears white, though from what colors Colette can see, it is outlined with red, his favorite color as well as a symbolic one.

Colette closes her eyes momentarily in contentment as she approaches, just as her father releases her arm to sit next to his mother in the front row. She supposes she should have known that this is an inopportune time, since the music is just ending on a triumphantly holy note.

Her eyes fly open as she stumbles over a root on the last few steps. Of _course _she stumbles. Lloyd instinctively catches her as she does so, and Colette gives a sheepish smile, grateful that at least her veil isn't mussed. Lloyd returns it happily, and together, the two of them look to the man who will be marrying them today.

Zelos—wearing flashy noble clothing with his sword at his side, his hair braided and hanging down his back—smirks at the two of them as the note fades once and for all; Seles and Emil sit in the front row hurriedly to watch the ceremony. The Chosen of Tethe'alla finally clears his throat and opens up the Book of Regeneration, and Colette's breath catches as he begins speaking.

He had practically insisted on being the one to marry them, once he emerged from the tussle with Sheena with a bloody lip, but both Lloyd and Colette had doubts about whether or not he would be serious about his duties as priest. However, his voice is proper and eloquent as you please as he reads out the ceremony, and Colette smiles in relief.

"We are gathered together here in the sight of Heaven," he begins, and Colette could swear he casts a quick and ugly look at the sky, "to witness the unification of this man and this woman in holy matrimony, which must be entered into not unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, and soberly." He rolls his eyes ever so slightly. "Into this holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. Is this not so?"

"It is," says Lloyd, and his voice is strong and determined as ever.

"It is," agrees Colette, more softly, but her voice does not waver.

"If anyone can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace. Though," adds Zelos, "I can't imagine why anyone would want to separate these two."

As he speaks the words, doubtlessly unscripted, he lays a hand delicately on the hilt of his sword, and Colette and Lloyd smile at him hesitantly. The crowd, predictably, says nothing.

"Thought not," says Zelos, plainly satisfied, and removes his hand from his weapon; Colette shoots a quick glance at Sheena to find that she is rolling her eyes, but she doesn't see fit to intervene.

"Anyway," sighs Zelos, and clears his throat slightly once more, turning his gaze harshly on his 'bud'. "Lloyd, will you have this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep you only unto her as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," says Lloyd resolutely, and Colette is sure he doesn't truly grasp any of what Zelos just said, but he knows it means _will you love her forever_, and somehow, Lloyd's lack of comprehension means as much to her as anyone's ability to understand.

"And Colette," continues Zelos, snapping his gaze to her next and looking her up and down once in an almost supicious way, "will you have this man to be your lawful wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep you only unto him as long as you both shall live?"

Colette smiles. _Love him… _She remembers the first time they ever exchanged those three wonderful words, and how he proposed to her in Flanoir before they were certain they would make it out of the Vanguard situation alive. _…Comfort him… _She recalls their first kiss, just after he realized she had lost her sense of touch, and drawing letters on his hands when she could not speak. _…Honor and keep him… _She remembers how they traveled together after naming the World Tree, and the moments they shared on their journey. _In sickness and in health…_ She recalls coming over to Dirk's house when she was six, only to find him sick, and instead of leaving, she stayed and made him soup. _…As long as you both shall live. _She remembers how many times they've saved one another, and in how many ways, and smiles serenely.

"I will," says Colette, and means it.

"Good!" exclaims Zelos, beaming at the pair of them, and each of them is caught off-guard—used to the intensity of his gaze as, during their acceptances, he silently threatened that if either of them broke their vows, he _will_ have something to say about it. "You may now exchange rings," he adds, and Colette fingers the red ribbon around her neck, holding the ring she must give to Lloyd.

Lloyd takes Colette's ring out of a similarly ribboned pocket, and she gasps. It's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen; she touches her Cruxis Crystal absently, recognizing the same pattern in her ring without any of the pain associated with the Regeneration. _He truly is a great blacksmith, and a great man._

He takes her hand and slips it gently onto her finger, and clears his throat half-awkwardly. "I, Lloyd Irving, take thee, Colette Brunel, to be my wedded wife," he begins, and she shivers at the honest sincerity in his words as he continues, "to have and to hold from this day forward… for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer… in sickness and in health… to love and cherish forever, and… um…"

"Thereto I give thee my pledge!" hisses Zelos.

"Thereto I give thee my pledge," echoes Lloyd, looking relieved, and Colette wishes she could take the veil off to look at him blushing. She settles for laughing as she tugs the ring from her neck, then slides it off the ribbon and onto his finger carefully. It's a simple golden band, a store-bought one, but Colette could find none better—and she knew he wouldn't want anything to get in his way while he was working, anyway.

"I, Colette Brunel, take thee, Lloyd Irving, to be my wedded husband," she says breathlessly, "to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish forever—and thereto I give thee my pledge." She trusted him with her life before, but now, she trusts him with her future as well. It's a heavy responsibility for them both to bear, but she knows they can take it.

Zelos, meanwhile, is beaming at them proudly. "Those whom Heaven hath joined together, let _no one _put asunder." A shadow flits across his face once more, and his hand twitches as though longing to draw his sword and cut anyone down who splits them apart (Colette thinks his concern is touching, if a little frightening)—but resists.

The rest of the speech, Colette can barely understand, because Zelos is rushing through it as though it doesn't really matter: "Forasmuch-as-Lloyd-and-Colette-have-consented-together-in-holy-wedlock-and-have-witnessed-the-same-before-Heaven-and-this-company-of-witnesses—" He stops for breath before continuing. "And-thereto-have-given-their-pledge-each-to-the-other-and-have-declared-the-same-by-exchanging-rings; by the power invested in me by the angels—_I now pronounce you husband and wife_. There!"

He looks so pleased with himself that Colette and Lloyd cannot resist laughing as they inch closer together uncertainly, recalling something about a kiss making it official. Zelos's eyes widen at their movement, and he smiles at the two of them. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot," he laughs. "You may kiss—and for Martel's sake, lose that unholy innocence!"

After a somewhat dirty look at their priest ("Zelos!" snaps Sheena, aghast), Lloyd tenderly removes Colette's veil with a gloved hand, and she blushes as he does so. The colors burst fully back into her vision—the cerulean sky, the emerald Tree and viridescent meadow, the crimson lining of Lloyd's outfit, her own pink bouquet—and Lloyd kisses her gently, half-chastely. Colette closes her eyes momentarily as her wings flick out, glimmering rosily. As she opens them again, slowly, after he pulls away, she finds that he has reddened as well and is staring at the sky, unable to look either at her or anyone else.

It occurs to Colette that this is the first time they have ever kissed in front of anyone else, and heat floods her cheeks as well.

"May Heaven bless this union!" exclaims Zelos to complete the ceremony, snapping shut the Book and startling the newlyweds, and winks at the two of them happily before raising both their hands as though they just won a tournament of some sort. Just after they get used to this unusual custom, he shoves them both laughingly back down the aisle, where they are cheered on by all their friends (Colette's wings fortunately keeping her from losing her fragile balance).

Colette giggles, squeezing Lloyd's hand, as a realization hits her. This _isn't _the happiest day of her life. This is a fresh beginning—the first day of a new life. If this is the happiest day of her whole life, that implies that the future will be worse somehow, and that's not right.

She _knows _it will only get better from here.

**((Happy belated Valentine's Day, all! I forgot how much I love writing these two! I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it, but that'd be hard to do.**

**As you can probably see, I twisted the ceremony a little from a traditional Christian ceremony. "Heaven" is technically supposed to be "Cruxis" in the proper procedure, but Zelos decided to omit that for obvious reasons.**

"**Rest of the Heart" is actually part of the soundtrack in the games. Specifically, what I had in mind was the Sanctuary version from DotNW, but I guess any version works.))**


	2. The Night

"Well, Mrs. Irving," laughs Lloyd, drawing forward a giggling and blindfolded Colette as they arrive at their new house, "welcome home!" He tugs the handkerchief loose from her eyes and squeezes her hand as she stares in wonderment at the house he has been working on for weeks.

Dirk's helped him, of course, and so have some of their other friends, but he's specifically kept it a secret from Colette in the interest of surprising her. It's on the outskirts of Iselia—close enough to walk into the village, but far enough away that they won't have constant visitors. It's a fairly modest house, but Lloyd is proud of it—and, as far as he's concerned, rightly so. There's even furniture in it, and even though it might not be of the best quality since that was of lesser priority than building the house itself, it's more than enough to get by.

"It's beautiful," whispers Colette sincerely, and the genuine admiration in her voice enchants him as much as ever: a thrill of adoration rushes through him, and he grins at her happily. How lucky is he, to be able to say that he's married to an angel in so many senses of the word? It will be a privilege to share his future, both imminent and distant, with such a woman.

But first and foremost—_tonight_.

Lloyd isn't going to pretend he knows what any of this 'wedding night' stuff is about, and he's certainly not about to ask Zelos for advice, particularly after how hectic the wedding party was. No, he and Colette will figure it out on their own.

He realizes he's been beaming down at her for Martel knows how long, and blushes, but Colette doesn't seem unnerved: rather, she's smiling just as giddily up at him, and before Lloyd can do more than open the door, she's picked him up bridal style like he weighs nothing at all, and is carrying him across the threshold—pausing only once to kick off her shoes, and pull his off too.

Turning absolutely scarlet as they make their way through the house by way of Lloyd's finger-pointing, he doesn't have the heart to tell her this is something of a reversal of tradition, and gradually gets to enjoy it. Even merely thinking it makes him feel distinctly emasculated, but… it just feels so… _secure _in her arms. (Lloyd, still blushing hotly, resolves never to let that sentence cross his mind again as they enter the bedroom.)

As soon as they're within a few feet of the bed, Colette predictably turns her ankle on nothing at all and plunges forward. Lloyd flails a little as she drops him, but immediately finds that he is lying spread-eagled on his own, new, comfortable bed, and her face is pressed into his stomach, veil-headband askew.

After a moment of silence, the two of them start laughing uncontrollably; it might be more than a minute before both of them get themselves mostly in control again. Colette eventually sits up and casts her veil aside, love shining sunnily in her eyes; Lloyd sees no reason to bother sitting up again. He smiles gently in utter contentment as she crawls forward, positioning herself uncertainly over him: he plays with a strand of her hair lazily, and she smiles at him (he returns it eagerly) before leaning down and kissing him, closing her eyes.

Lloyd is used to pure intentions, innocent glances, and chaste kisses. This moment involves none of the above. He wonders whether he should be closing his eyes like she has, but quickly throws the imaginary rulebook out the imaginary window; he doesn't know how he's supposed to just close his eyes and relax into something as passionate and suggestive and wild as this.

So _this _is what Zelos was always on about.

He realizes with a jolt that after being carried through his own house by a girl eight inches shorter than him, he is _not _about to let her take control here too. Lloyd breaks away as gently as possible and sits up, then—breathing hard—hooks his elbows around Colette's shoulders: she is wide-eyed as he grins at her, falling forward gently so that she lies on her back this time as he leans over her, and she laughs that wonderful laugh of hers, toying with his jacket.

Lloyd hastily removes it and his shirt quickly after, brain scrambling for something to do next. The only thing he knows for sure about wedding nights is that you can't have one with all your clothes on. Well, at least not a _good_ one.

The way Colette is looking at him makes him turn red, and she's blushing too, adorably so, as she giggles excitedly. It's not as though she hasn't seen him without a shirt before, but this is such a wildly different context from what he's used to (which is to say, swimming) that he feels much more exposed.

"Oh, so you think you're so pure!" growls Lloyd playfully, and tugs at the sleeve of her dress gently: Colette, after a moment's mirthful deliberation, sits up, pulling both arms out of her sleeves and attempting to wiggle out of her dress; Lloyd scoots out of the way.

"I'm a ghost!" she giggles, spookily waving her arms from inside the skirt, and Lloyd laughs, but isn't sure whether or not she's doing it on purpose or not before she says—voice muffled by her bodice—"Lloyd… I think I'm stuck. Help?"

Lloyd is more than happy to give her assistance; after he casts the dress aside, he glances down again and is promptly rendered speechless. Colette lies on her back—scantily clad, rosy-cheeked, and smiling—and as he can't help but stare, her wings flick out and shimmer on either side of her, completing the image of utter perfection.

Inside and out, she's flawless, and Lloyd wonders distractedly how exactly he got so lucky. He _almost_ doesn't want to touch her, to take away the chastity he can tell she wants gone as she fidgets with the linings of her undergarments.

_Almost_.

**((And this completes their wedding day! I had this image in my head before I even knew about the ceremony itself, particularly the bit about bridal style.))**


End file.
